To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq)
كتاب الرقاق
Chapter 1: Health and leisure
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time."
We were in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in (the battle of) Al-Khandaq, and he was digging the trench while we were carrying the earth away. He looked at us and said, "O Allah! There is no life worth living except the life of the Hereafter, so (please) forgive the Ansar and the Emigrants."
Chapter 2: The example of this world in contrast with the Hereafter
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "A (small) place equal to an area occupied by a whip in Paradise is better than the (whole) world and whatever is in it; and an undertaking (journey) in the forenoon or in the afternoon for Allah's Cause, is better than the whole world and whatever is in it."
Chapter 3: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger."
`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took hold of my shoulder and said, 'Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler." The sub-narrator added: Ibn `Umar used to say, "If you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from your life for your death."
Chapter 4: About hope and hoping too much
The Prophet (ﷺ) drew a square and then drew a line in the middle of it and let it extend outside the square and then drew several small lines attached to that central line, and said, "This is the human being, and this, (the square) in his lease of life, encircles him from all sides (or has encircled him), and this (line), which is outside (the square), is his hope, and these small lines are the calamities and troubles (which may befall him), and if one misses him, an-other will snap (i.e. overtake) him, and if the other misses him, a third will snap (i.e. overtake) him."
Chapter 6: The deed which is done seeking Allah's Countenance
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah says, 'I have nothing to give but Paradise as a reward to my believer slave, who, if I cause his dear friend (or relative) to die, remains patient (and hopes for Allah's Reward).
Chapter 7: The warning regarding worldly pleasures, amusements and competing against each other
I heard Khabbab, who had branded his `Abdomen with seven brands, saying, "Had Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) not forbidden us to invoke Allah for death, I would have invoked Allah for death. The companions of Muhammad have left this world without taking anything of their reward in it (i.e., they will have perfect reward in the Hereafter), but we have collected of the worldly wealth what we cannot spend but on earth (i.e. on building houses).
Chapter 14: "It would not please me to have gold equal to this mountain of Uhud"
While I was walking with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Harra of Medina, Uhud came in sight. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Abu Dhar!" I said, "Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" He said, "I would not like to have gold equal to this mountain of Uhud, unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar of it remains with me for more than three days, except something which I will keep for repaying debts. I would have spent all of it (distributed it) amongst Allah's Slaves like this, and like this, and like this." The Prophet (ﷺ) pointed out with his hand towards his right, his left and his back (while illustrating it). He proceeded with his walk and said, "The rich are in fact the poor (little rewarded) on the Day of Resurrection except those who spend their wealth like this, and like this, and like this, to their right, left and back, but such people are few in number." Then he said to me, "Stay at your place and do not leave it till I come back." Then he proceeded in the darkness of the night till he went out of sight, and then I heard a loud voice, and was afraid that something might have happened to the Prophet (ﷺ) .1 intended to go to him, but I remembered what he had said to me, i.e. 'Don't leave your place till I come back to you,' so I remained at my place till he came back to me. I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I heard a voice and I was afraid." So I mentioned the whole story to him. He said, "Did you hear it?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "It was Gabriel who came to me and said, 'Whoever died without joining others in worship with Allah, will enter Paradise.' I asked (Gabriel), 'Even if he had committed theft or committed illegal sexual intercourse? Gabriel said, 'Yes, even if he had committed theft or committed illegal sexual intercourse."
Chapter 15: True riches is self-contentment
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Wealth is not in having many possessions, but rather (true) wealth is feeling sufficiency in the soul."
Chapter 16: The superiority of being poor
A man passed by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the Prophet (ﷺ) asked a man sitting beside him, "What is your opinion about this (passer-by)?" He replied, "This (passer-by) is from the noble class of people. By Allah, if he should ask for a lady's hand in marriage, he ought to be given her in marriage, and if he intercedes for somebody, his intercession will be accepted. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kept quiet, and then another man passed by and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked the same man (his companion) again, "What is your opinion about this (second) one?" He said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! This person is one of the poor Muslims. If he should ask a lady's hand in marriage, no-one will accept him, and if he intercedes for somebody, no one will accept his intercession, and if he talks, no-one will listen to his talk." Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "This (poor man) is better than such a large number of the first type (i.e. rich men) as to fill the earth."
Chapter 17: How the Prophet (saws) and his Companions used to live
We used to go to Anas bin Malik and see his baker standing (preparing the bread). Anas said, "Eat. I have not known that the Prophet (ﷺ) ever saw a thin well-baked loaf of bread till he died, and he never saw a roasted sheep with his eyes."
Chapter 18: The adoption of a middle course, and the regularity of deeds
The most beloved action to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was that whose doer did it continuously and regularly.
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The deeds of anyone of you will not save you (from the (Hell) Fire)." They said, "Even you (will not be saved by your deeds), O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" He said, "No, even I (will not be saved) unless and until Allah bestows His Mercy on me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your target (Paradise).
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even if it were little."
Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) led us in prayer and then (after finishing it) ascended the pulpit and pointed with his hand towards the Qibla of the mosque and said, "While I was leading you in prayer, both Paradise and Hell were displayed in front of me in the direction of this wall. I had never seen a better thing (than Paradise) and a worse thing (than Hell) as I have seen today, I had never seen a better thing and a worse thing as I have seen today."
Chapter 19: Hope with fear
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, Verily Allah created Mercy. The day He created it, He made it into one hundred parts. He withheld with Him ninety-nine parts, and sent its one part to all His creatures. Had the non-believer known of all the Mercy which is in the Hands of Allah, he would not lose hope of entering Paradise, and had the believer known of all the punishment which is present with Allah, he would not consider himself safe from the Hell-Fire."
Chapter 23: To protect one's tongue
My ears heard and my heart grasped (the statement which) the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The period for keeping one's guest is three days (and don't forget) his reward." It was asked, "What is his reward?" He said, "In the first night and the day he should be given a high class quality of meals; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should entertain his guest generously; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good (sense) or keep quiet."
Chapter 24: Weeping out of fear of Allah
The Prophet (ﷺ) said Allah will give shade to seven (types of people) under His Shade (on the Day of Resurrection). (one of them will be) a person who remembers Allah and his eyes are then flooded with tears.
Chapter 25: To be afraid of Allah 'Azza wa Jall
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There was a man amongst the people who had suspicion as to the righteousness of his deeds. Therefore he said to his family, 'If I die, take me and burn my corpse and throw my ashes into the sea on a hot (or windy) day.' They did so, but Allah, collected his particles and asked (him), What made you do what you did?' He replied, 'The only thing that made me do it, was that I was afraid of You.' So Allah forgave him."
The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned a man from the previous generation or from the people preceding your age whom Allah had given both wealth and children. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When the time of his death approached, he asked his children, 'What type of father have I been to you?' They replied: You have been a good father. He said, 'But he (i.e. your father) has not stored any good deeds with Allah (for the Hereafter): if he should face Allah, Allah will punish him. So listen, (O my children), when I die, burn my body till I become mere coal and then grind it into powder, and when there is a stormy wind, throw me (my ashes) in it.' So he took a firm promise from his children (to follow his instructions). And by Allah they (his sons) did accordingly(fulfilled their promise.) Then Allah said, "Be"' and behold! That man was standing there! Allah then said. "O my slave! What made you do what you did?" That man said, "Fear of You." So Allah forgave him.